Windy City Circus calls off the show

Nataliya performs foot juggling in the WindyCityCircus. The group was to perform at Navy Pier from Friday through Feb. 26.

Nataliya performs foot juggling in the WindyCityCircus. The group was to perform at Navy Pier from Friday through Feb. 26.

The Windy City Circus, a new, non-profit circus that was slated for Festival Hall on Navy Pier this month, has canceled at the last minute, due, its founder said, to financial problems caused by a lack of sponsorship.

In a statement, founder David Maas said he was "incredibly saddened" by the need to cancel the circus, which was to open on Friday, and planned to "strive toward" producing the circus at a future date. Mass, a veteran of the Big Apple Circus, was to be the ringmaster and acts were to include jugglers, acrobats and miniature horses.

Patrons who bought their tickets through the circus' website will receive automatic refunds; those who bought their tickets elsewhere should contact their points of purchase.